Cost of Living Comparison Between North Brunswick, NJ and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between North Brunswick, NJ and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,585 in North Brunswick, NJ versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,720 in North Brunswick, NJ versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,854 in North Brunswick, NJ versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in North Brunswick, NJ is roughly 105% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: North Brunswick, NJ is 94% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.81 $18.81

$4.48 ฿150

319.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.7 $75.7

$45.59 ฿1,523

66.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.80 $10.80

$8.76 ฿292

23.29%

Cappuccino

$4.99 $4.99

$2.97 ฿99.1

68.01%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$0.69 ฿22.93

273.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.39 ฿13.05

420.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.07 $6.07

$2.53 ฿84.5

139.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 $7.13

$3.75 ฿125

90.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$2.15 ฿71.7

-51.63%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 $3.49

$1.82 ฿60.6

91.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$2.18 ฿73.0

105.05%

Eggs

$4.27 $4.27

$2.25 ฿75.1

89.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.18 $12.18

$20.00 ฿668

-39.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.59 $11.59

$3.63 ฿121

219.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.46 $15.46

$13.56 ฿453

14.01%

Apples (1kg)

$4.90 $4.90

$3.24 ฿108

51.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.64 ฿54.6

-5.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.16 $4.16

$2.33 ฿77.9

78.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$2.07 ฿69.2

131.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$1.55 ฿51.7

85.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$1.46 ฿48.60

97.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.98 ฿32.89

108.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$0.48 ฿16.11

356.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.49 $9.49

$4.35 ฿145

118.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.21 $15.21

$18.57 ฿620

-18.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.86 ฿62.0

-1.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 $3.38

$2.65 ฿88.7

27.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.42 ฿47.33

43.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿387

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.17 ฿106

8.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.03 ฿34.46

59.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.05 $29.05

$13.89 ฿464

109.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.34 ฿44.89

-34.33%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$30.1K $30.1K

$27.8K ฿928.2K

8.47%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.5K $25.5K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-23.73%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$189 $189

$123 ฿4,110

53.74%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$53.5 $53.5

$13.77 ฿460

288.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.5 $68.5

$18.33 ฿612

273.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 $42.31

$60.7 ฿2,027

-30.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$13.69 $13.69

$8.87 ฿296

54.34%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,312 $1,312

$688 ฿23.0K

90.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K $23.3K

$15.8K ฿527.0K

47.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 $50.1

$59.3 ฿1,981

-15.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.95 $39.95

$34.69 ฿1,159

15.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.4 $87.4

$115 ฿3,847

-24.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$83.8 ฿2,798

34.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,608 $1,608

$621 ฿20.8K

158.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,370 $1,370

$446 ฿14.9K

207.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,634 $2,634

$2,034 ฿67.9K

29.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,247 $2,247

$1,496 ฿50.0K

50.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,121 $3,121

$3,455 ฿115.4K

-9.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,664 $2,664

$2,531 ฿84.5K

5.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

5.33

22.14%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for North Brunswick, NJ: July 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in North Brunswick, NJ and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $76.0 in North Brunswick, NJ vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $391 vs $291 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

North Brunswick, NJ vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 105% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,878 in North Brunswick, NJ and $1,896 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,608 in North Brunswick, NJ versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,312 in North Brunswick, NJ versus $688 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $76.0 in North Brunswick, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $2,585 in North Brunswick, NJ, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in North Brunswick, NJ. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in North Brunswick, NJ, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, North Brunswick, NJ and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 105% less than in North Brunswick, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.